What Languages are the Most Useful in the Business World?

When it comes to business, there are many aspects you need to consider to be successful. One of the most important things is which languages to learn. If you know some useful languages, you can go far in your business ventures. If you lack these skills, you might miss out on great opportunities. Take a look at this list of the most useful languages in the business world.

English

Despite the rise of popularity of many other languages, English is still the best language you can know if you want to be successful in business. English is used in business law, accounting, meetings, and advertising in written form.

It is seen as the international business language. If English is your native language, then you’re in luck. However, if it isn’t, consider taking courses. While you might not be masterful overnight, it will pay off in the long run. This language is showing no signs of slowing down as the most used in business settings worldwide.

Spanish

Imagine if you could land in South America, Mexico, Spain, or the Canary Islands and instantly do business with anyone you met. Also keep in mind that many people in the United States now speak Spanish as their native language, opening up opportunities there. That is the power of knowing Spanish.

Madrid, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires are all known as banking hubs. If you work in finance or wish to have connections in that industry, you can hardly do better than learning Spanish. While many of your colleagues in those areas are likely to know some English or another language, your attempt to speak Spanish will earn you big points.

Portuguese

With Spanish being such an important language in Europe and Latin America, many people make the mistake of overlooking Portuguese as a viable option. The reality is that Portuguese is an essential language for multiple reasons.

First, all of Brazil speaks Portuguese. That gives you access to one of the most influential economies in the world, and one of the fastest-growing countries in BRIC. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are both powerhouses for international meetings, executives, and business trips. Imagine the increased revenue made possible by speaking fluent Portuguese.

Mandarin

China’s economy has virtually exploded in the last 20 years. They are the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Sure, there are issues with their pollution and strict laws in many aspects, but that doesn’t keep China from being very capitalistic. Large power centers of international trade reside in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn. For that reason, many people shy away from investing time or money in learning it. However, when billions of people worldwide speak it, there is inherent value in understanding it. You don’t need to learn the whole language, just enough to talk about a given subject relevant to your company’s goals.

Russian

For many, Russia is mostly unknown. They have a unique culture and are relatively isolated with their immense land mass. Russia, however, is one of the wealthiest countries in the world due to their natural resources.

Careers in energy, drilling, and banking often revolve around the ability to connect with Russian clients and customers. If you know Russian, you’ll be one step ahead of everyone else in your industry. Most Fortune 500 companies have some dealings in Russia, meaning you could boost the bottom line by quite a bit if planning to work for one of those companies.

When looking to get into the business world, communication is critical. If you don’t have the right channels open to understanding certain languages, you risk getting behind. Multiple languages are used in all aspects of commerce, whether you’re getting a business management degree online, traveling for work, or starting a new business in any form.